The government has appointed Conservative MP Charlotte Leslie and Conservative parliamentary candidate Shaun Bailey as ambassadors for the Big Society agenda.

Bailey (pictured), has a long history in the charity youth sector, including a role as chief executive of My Generation, and MP Charlotte Leslie is described as a “rising star” in the Tory party.

The news follows a barrage of Big Society announcements from the government in the past two days, including details on the Big Society Bank and a defence by David Cameron of the recently beleaguered Big Society agenda in the Sunday nationals.

Speaking to the Observer Cameron rejected claims that the Big Society was simply a mask for cuts to the charity sector.

The government will also reportedly set up a big society university which will train future community workers and announce who has won a £20m tender to train 5,00 big society workers over the next five years.